Radiator



March 28, 1933. E W. SEAHQLM ET AL, 1,903,141 I RADIATOR Filed March 51, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 28, 1933. A E, w. SEAHOLM ET AL RADIATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 5l, 1928 IIIIII Patented Mar. 28, 1933 UNITED4 STATES PATENT OFFICE] ERNEST W. SEAHOLM A ND GUY E.`PARKER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, `ASSIGrNORS T0 GENERAL MoToRs CORPORATION, oF DELAWARE RADIATOR 'Application led MarchV 31,1928. Serial No. 266,317.

This. invention relates to radiator assemblies for automobiles. The conventional typeof automobile isv provided at its forward end with a radiator consisting of a core through which theengine cooling water is forced and with a shell concealing portion nof the core and giving an ornamental appear- -ance tothe assembly.` It is also ycustomary to provide the radiator'with shutters to control the flow of air through it and these shutters are frequently vertically arranged.

Our invention consists in an improved support for the radiator shutters which is much stronger than conventional designs and at the same time servesl to give the appearance of. ay continuation' ofthe radiator or of the radiator shutters, improving the appearance of, the car. The support` preferably takes the form of a panel secured to the bottom-of the radiatorshell and having portions exposed in the openings in the shell, thepanel being formed with asupporting part or ledge receiving the bottom pivots of the shutters. Since the' panelis removable it may be readily iven any desired finish and configuration, .pre erably the same as the Vradiator shutters or the-radiator core so that the appearance of a high radiator may be obtained. v In some cases itmay be preferred to make thepanellintegral with the radiator shell and in this event the same effect kmay be obtained Y bylpainting or enamellingthe llower portion of theshell also. giving it a configuration re- Y sembling that of the radiator core or shutters.

In the drawings: 3 Y p `Figure 1 is a front elevation .of the radiator ,assemblyV of a La Salle engine in which our invention isembodied. y d f `fdligure 2 is. a section on line2-2 of Fig- .ure1., i y p Figure 3 isa section on liney 3-3 of Fig- I ure 1 on a slightly larger scale.

Figure 4 isa rear elevation of the radiator panel which supports the bottom pivots of v the shutters.` v

'Figure 5 isa side elevation of the same assembly.

Figure 6 is a section. on line (iv-6 of Figo ure-1. l Y

shutterv assembly including the finishing Figure 7 is a front elevation .of a portion of the structure shown inFigure 6. v

Referring to Figure 1, l0 indicates the radiator shell, 12 the shutters provided with top pivots `14 and bottom pivots' 16. The/55 shutters are broken away to show a portion of the radiator core 18. 20 indicates a removable iinishing panel having portions exposed at the lower end of the opening 22 provided in the shell. At 24 is shown the cover plate .Y

for the usual, aperture through which the starting crank maybe inserted for .rotating the crank shaft. The radiator shutters are g mounted in a sub-assembly shown in Figure 4 and consisting of a top portion 26 and side portions 28 connecting the top portion with the panel 20. The top pivots ofthe shutters are journalled Ainflange ,0"f `)rming part of the top member 26 and the bottom pivotsA of the shutters arel journalled in flange 32 formed on the upper edgev ofthe panel20. It will be noted that the panel 2O is provided with a peripheral strengthening flange so thatit is in eii'ect a channel member offering considerable resistance to' vertical loads such' DETROIT,l MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or as that constituted by the weight of the y shutters. y p

In the La Salle and Cadillac construction the radiator core 18 and the top` and bottom tanks are secured toa chassis -eross member, not shown, bymeans of studs 40 carrying suitable clamping devices 42. The radiator shell 10 issupported by theY core in any suitable mannen Thedetailsof the supporting means for the core and-fer the shell form no part ofV this invention. `Howeverfmember V44 part of the radiator vcorefassemblyand having a downturned flange to which is bolted indicates a supporting plate extending from y i ce resemble continuations of the radiator shutters 12. Where shutters are not employed the panel may be given a configuration to resemble the radiator itself. The panel is a separate iitting and may be readily finished in any desired color or with any desired material to match the finish of the shutters or of the core. Obviously the same effect may be obtained by making the panel an integral portion of the radiator shell and stamping it to the configuration desired and giving it the desired color.

It will be noted that the panel 2O constitutes a relatively stift1 channel member and is consequently well adapted to take the load of the radiator shutters. A portion of this load is, however, transmitted directly to the radiator core assembly through the member and the member 46.

It will be noted that the pivots of the radiator shutters are in close proximity to the core assembly or specifically to the top and bottom tanks of the core'and consequently the heat radiated from the core will at all times prevent the pivots from becoming frozen. `Were the shutters extended below the core freezing might occur and the shutters be rendered inoperative.

Obviously in the manufacture of the device the shutter assembly previously described is put together, the top member 26 is secured to the core assembly by suitable fastening means such as shown at 60, the flange 48 is secured to the Hange 46 by fastening means 62 and the panel 2O is secured to the shell by fastening means 64. The last named connection is made only at the portion of the shell covered by the cover 24 so that the appearance of the assembly will not be marred by fastening bolts. The described construction is strong, makes it possible to give the radiator desirable lines and is well adapted for large production.

We claim:

1. A radiator assembly comprising a shell, a core in the shell, vertically arranged shutters mounted in front of the core, the shell being apertured, a removable finishing plate covering said aperture, said plate being provided with an inwardly extending flange serving as a support for the pivots of the shutters.

2. In the combination as defined in claim l, said coreextending to a point adjacent the pivots so as to prevent freezing thereof.

3. A radiator assembly comprising a shell, a core in the shell but spaced from the bottom thereof, vertically arranged shutters pivotally mounted in the shell and having their pivots in proximity to the core so as to pr-event freezing thereof, said shell being provided with a removable panel below the shutters finishedto resemble a continuation thereof.

4. In a built-in shutter device, the combinat ion of a radiator core` having attaching devices secured thereto with a shutter frame carried by said devices, said shutter frame including a pair of bearing strips, and a plurality of shutters pivotally mounted in said bearing strips for controlling ow of air through the upper portion of said core, and said shutter frame having a false shutter apron for closing the lower portion of said core.

5. In a built-in shutter device, the combination of aV radiator core having attaching devices secured thereto with a shutter frame carried by said devices, said shutter frame including a pair of bearing strips, a plurality of shutters pivotally mounted in said bearing strips for controlling iow of air through the upper portion of said core, and said shutter frame having a false shutter apron for closing the lower portion of said core, and aA radiator shell engaged by said apron and by a spout on said core.

6. A radiator assembly comprising a shell, a core in the shell, vertically arranged shutters mounted in front of the core, the shell being apertured, a removable finishing plate covering the lower portion of said aperture, said plate being provided with an inwardly extending flange'serving as a support for the pivots of the shutters. l

7. A radiator assembly comprising a core, a shell surrounding the core and provided with an opening in its front face for exposing the core to a cooling air stream, vertically extending radiator shutters arranged in said opening and in front of the core, and a panel fitted in said opening and having its exposed face provided with vertical flutes in vertical alignment with the shutters.

8. A radiator assembly comprising a core, a shell surrounding the core and yprovided with an opening in its front face for exposing the core to a cooling air stream, vertically extending radiator shutters arranged in said opening and in front of the core, and a panel fitted in said opening below the shutters and having its exposed face provided with vertical flutes in vertical alignment with-the shutters, said panel being provided with a transversely extending flange serving as a support for the pivots of the shutters.

9. In a built-in shutter device, the combination of a radiator core assembly having attaching means with a shut-ter frame carried by said means, said shutter frame including a pair of bearing strips, and a plurality of shutters pivotally mounted in said bearing strips for controlling flow of air through the Lipper portion of said core, and said shutter frame having a false shutter apron for covering the lower portion of said core assembly.

10. In a built-in shutter device, the combination of a radiator core assembly having attaching means with a shutter frame carried by said means, said shutter frame including a pair of bearing strips, a plurality of shutters pivotally mounted in said bearing strips for controlling iow of air through the upper portion of said core, and said shutter frame having a false shutter apron for covering the lower portion of said core assembly, and a radiator shell engaged by vsaid apron and by a spout on said core.

11. The combination of a radiator core, a shell for the core having the usual front opening exposing the core to a cooling air stream, said openingv extending below the core, a shutter frame fitting in said opening and comprising top, bottom and side frame elements secured together, said bottom frame element being provided at its upper edge with a rearwardly projecting supporting ledge and a plurality of vertically arranged shutters pivotally supported by said ledge and said top member, said bottom frame element lilling in the portion of the opening in the .shell below the core and extending from one. side of the shell to the other an-d being provided with vertical stiiening ribs, .Said bottom element forming a truss for taking the load of the shutters, and means for supporting said frame over the opening in the shell.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures.

ERNEST W. SEAHOLM. GUY E. PARKER. y 

